Domaine Durieu Chateauneuf du Pape Rhone Wine, Complete Guide

Learn everything about Domaine Durieu Chateauneuf du Pape with wine tasting notes, wine, and food pairing tips, best vintages, a history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important wineries and wine makers from the Rhone valley: Links to all Rhone Valley Wine Producer Profiles

Domaine Durieu is a relatively new estate in the Southern Rhone Valley. It was created in 1976 when Lucile Avril, the mother of Paul Durieu gave him a few hectares of vines as a wedding present to get his career as a wine producer going.

Shortly after that, Paul Durieu added an additional 5 hectares of vines, built a cellar and wine-making facilities and Domaine Durieu was born. Since 1976, Paul Durieu has managed to continue to expand its vineyards to their current 37-hectare size.

Domaine Durieu Vineyards, Wines, Winemaking

Today, Domaine Durieu owns 37 hectares of vines in Chateauneuf du Pape. The vineyard has old vines with the oldest vines being Grenache which was planted all the way in 1914. Their best terroir features very rocky soils that is perfect for Grenache. 36 hectares are devoted to the production of red wine and one hectare is used to grow grapes for white wine.

Domaine Durieu makes 3 red Chateauneuf du Pape wines and 1 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc wine.

Domaine Durieu Chateauneuf du Pape – The grapes are not destemmed. The wine is often produced from a blend of 80% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre and 8% Syrah. But that can vary from vintage to vintage year, as in some years, they can also include small amounts of Cinsault and Counoise. The wine is aged for about 12 months in concrete vats before bottling. About 2,000 cases are produced each year.

Domaine Durieu Cuvee Reserve Lucile Avril made its debut in 1999. The estate’s top wine is named after the mother of the owner. The grapes used for this cuvee come from their oldest vines. On average, the wine is usually made from a blend that is close to 90% old vine Grenache, 6% old vine Mourvedre and 4% Syrah. However, that varies slightly from year to year.

To produce the wine, the grapes are not destemmed. The Grenache is aged in traditional concrete vats for 16-18 months. The Mourvedre and Syrah are aged for an equal amount of time in new, French oak barrels. Not much wine is made as the production averages close to 800 cases per vintage.

Domaine Durieu Lieu-dit Bois Lauzon takes its name from the vineyard where the grapes are planted, which is located in the cooler terroir found in the far north of the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. The wine is produced from 100% old vine Grenache.

Domaine Durieu Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc – The wine is produced from 80% Roussanne, with the remainder of the blend coming from Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Only 250 cases are produced each year.

When to Drink Domaine Durieu, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Domaine Durieu can be enjoyed on the young side. Young vintages can be popped and poured, or decanted for 1-2 hours allowing the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Domaine Durieu is usually better with 3-5 years of bottle age. Of course that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage. In the best vintages the wine should be consumed within 4-18 years after the vintage.

Serving Domaine Durieu with Wine, Food Pairing Tips

Domaine Durieu is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift.

Domaine Durieu is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, stewed dishes, sausage, barbecue and cassoulet. Domaine Durieu is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms pasta, eggplant, tomatoes and cheese.

The white wine of Domaine Durieu is best served with a myriad of different seafood dishes, shellfish, crab, lobster, sushi, sashimi, chicken, pork and veal, as well as Asian cuisine.

Domaine Durieu also owns 68 hectares in the Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Ventoux appellations where they produce both red and white wine.

www.domainedurieu.fr